Blqck-making machine



June 1 1926.

Filed March 19.. 5

ffV

June l 1926.

A, J.- HESKETT BLOCK MAKING MAGHNE Filpd March 19, w25 5 Sheets-Sheet BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Filed Mar'h 19 I 1925 -5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Hf?" I* I @WIT TID@ I I H5 .4 up@ Hip@ @j I I V l i A TTORNEY.

June 1 :52a

A, J. HESKETT Bmw; QAKING MACH);

Filed Marn 19. 1925 s sheets-sheet 4 I N V EN TOR. -ma/a J /we/ll A TToRNEY.

June 1 1926.

' A. J. HESKETT BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Filed March 19. 1925 5 sheets-sheet s y ATTORNEY.-

V.. DD l mmm,...

RNLD J. EESKETT, QF REX, 'EEGNI Application llediarch 19, 1925. Serial No. E

'ihrs invention relates to machines for making 4concrete blocks or bricks or other similararticles. For convenience in. illustrating l have herein described a machine for makinghollowblocks. but it is to be under-v stood that my invention may be applied also to machines for maimlfacluiing solid blocks, bricks or other similar articles.

@ne of the objects ol my invention is to supply simple and dependable operating mechanism l'oi' the machine so as to reduce the hazard ol' breakage and the tendency of the reacting 'parts to become disarranged. Another object otl thi` invention to make 'the machine as full;Y automatic as practical. Another object is to provide `for more ell'cciively lampiug the blocks and otherwise preparingthein du rino' the' process ot' manufacture. @ther objeots ol' the invention will be apparent 'from a consideration ol' the ao companying drawings@V :ind the l'ollowinpr description thereof:

(lf the drawing". Fig.' i is a front elevation of a block formingV machine which einbodies features ot' my invention: Fig. is a side elevation of the machine: Fig. is a plan View ofthe molds and the .operating mechanism; 4, is a plan View ot' a hopper for feeding concrete to the molds,- and .the o )eratino mechanism the-roof: Fis. 5 is a bottom View of one or' the tampons; G is a plan View of a compound machine without the tainpel's in which tour machines are op n'iolds. y formed by a board or plate 24 and the iront elated by one r riving,r mechanism: and Fig'. '2 is a bottom View ot an operating cam and a spider therefor.-

The machine comprises the 'frame Il() upon which are mounted molds 11,21 movable hopper l2- for supplying' the molds with concrete, and a chute 13 through which the concrete passes from thesupplybin il to the portable hopper` l2. The machine also comprises tampers 15 and operating mechanism 16 therefor, the tamping mechanism being supported in any suitable manner for example by means of beams supported from the Ceiling of the building. Mounted upon the frame l() are cams .17 and 18 .tor operat ing the machine, and a motorl) is provided for operating the .cams and also the tampers.1

The 'machine in this instance comprises two molds for forming hollow bloclcs cach mold having a side board 22, 4and a central board 2? forms a partitionbetween the two The rear sides of the molds are be. carrying with sides by a board or plate 25. The bottoms' of the molds are formed by a pallet 26 upon which the blocks are mfilded` andby means ot' which they may be lifted and removed from the machine. l'f'ithin the molds are cores 2i and :25 which form the hollows in the bricks. v

In makin u blocks by Whatis called the semiwct process the concrete is camp-"Vl in "he mold and before the concrete sets tie bl :lis are removed. As a consequence the blocks must he handled `:aiet'ully and the sides and cores ot the mold must be removed by lateral movement. Instead of movingthe sidehoards away from the blocks or the blocks away from the boards of the mold, the boards? are slid-laterally until free `from the Concrete. To provide for this l mount the boards Q2 and 22 slidably on the frame 10 and tix the boards-rigidly together by means ot' a plate 30. or by some othersuitable means. .l then provide mechanism for sliding the boards backwardly and forwardly in order to remove them from the blocks and for returning them to their normal positions i'or forming the molds. l

In order to operate these boards, I mountv upon a shaft 3l a cam plate 18, the plate haring a cam-way and in this cam-way is positioned, a roller 34 which is rotatably fixed to a beam The beam is lixed to the plate and has a guide fork 36 which. stnaddles the shaft 31. Obviously as the rain ji rotates the roller :My/ill be moved' forwardly or backwardly, as the case may itthe boards 2:2 and 23.

The cores 2T and 2f are mounted in the 'frame l0 -lor vertical movement. lVhen the he removed these cores are allowed to move downwardly by virtue of their weight until the upper ends thereof are entirely out of the nay. To accomplish this the cores are fixed to core plate 4() which is supported by a slidahly mounted vertical rod 41, and means are provided for sliding the rod 41 upwardly and .downwardly when desired. Any suitable means may be provided for this purpose but I prefer to operate the rod 4l by'means of the @am 18. )In practice the movement or the odres of the'mold may be synchronous with the movement. ofA the side boards of the molds. I, therefore, provide a lever 42, the o-'pper end of which normally rests against avi-block 43, fixed to one of the boards 22. the block 43 moves backlll l 4G fixed to the side board, may be provided form the bottom for acting on the upper end of the lever 42, and thus forcing the cores downwardly. When the core plate sinks the pallet is supported by the frame 10.

The 'liront side 25 ot' the molds is preferably fixed to the core plate 40 and hence is lowered and raised as the cores are lowered and'raised. "However, this 'front side may be independently removable, as is the case n ith many ordinary machines. that the blocks may be carefully removed from the machine a palletl 26 is provided to of the molds. In this pallet are openings through which the cores 27 and 28 pass. YWhen the pallets withthe blocks thereon are racked in the steam curing room, these openings allow the steam to circulate through the hollows in the blocks and between the blocks.

In operation, when a pallet oli blocks has been removedan empty pallet is placed on the framework against the rear mold side 24 i' and with 'the openings 50 registering vertically with the upper ends ot the cores. rThe mold boards Z2 and 23 are then forced forwardly over the upper surface ot' the pallet and, simultaneously, the cores are 'forced upwardly into the openings 50 oft' the pallet, and, at the same time, the front hoard 25 is elevated to its normal position. IVhen the blocrs have been completed this process is reversed., and the operator manually ele yates the pallet with the two blocks thereon,

'giving' them a sliding motion on the rear' board and removes them trom the machine an d inserts another pallet.

l 'provide also automatic means for passingI concrete into the molds. This comprises the slidahly mounted hopper 12. This hopper, by means ot 'the bearings (l0, is slidably mounted on the rod (il, the rod being fixed to the framework. Mounted on a beam (l2, .tiered to the rear side of the hopper, is a cam roller 63 which plays in a eamway Gl ot' the cam disk 17. rlhis dislt is also fixed to the vertical shaft 31, and hence rotates synchronously' with the cam, 18. rlhe shaft is rotated in any suitable manner. such as by means of a worm wheel GG operated by worm 67 mounted on the shaft G8 ot the motor 19, the motor having,` suitable reduction gearing G9 for obtaining a suitable speed In order vbe operated -ries arms 7 8 each of whiohoperates an arm In operation, when the molds are being formed, as hereinabove described, the hopper 12 is positioned immediately under the chute 13, and a pla-te 70, liX'ed to the framework, 'forms the bottom'of the hopper 12. The hopper receives the concrete through the chute readyv to be delivered to the molds. IVhen the molds are formed, the cam' 17 moves the hopper forwardly until it comes at rest over the molds and the concrete passes from the hopper into the molds, enough concrete being delivered to lill the molds with a material amount of surplus. The tampingV mechanism .is then set'in operation andthe tampers 15 tamp theconcrete suitably for the purpose. The tampers are then stopped, the hopper 12 is moved backwardly and the finished blocks are removed from the mavchine as hereinabove described.

The tamping mechanism may be any or- 35 dinary form of tamping mechanism and may in any suitable'manner, such as by means of the'belt 7 5 and the wheel 76 which operate the shaft 77. This shaft car- 7 9 fixed to the respective tamper shafts 80,

thus elevating the tampers and allowing them to fall of their own weight. When the tamping is to be stopped, blades 81 are moved forwardly so as to pass under collars 82 and thus hold the tampers so as to prevent their movingr downwardly when released.

In operation, as the hopper 12 reaches its forward normal position, an arm 85, fixed to the hopper, strikes an arm 86, fixed to a rotatably mounted shaft 87. This shaft carries the blades 81, and thus'the blades are moved out from under the collars 82 and the tampers are allowed to. operate, it being 155:

understood that the wheel 76 is rotated continuously. When the cam 17 begins to move the hopper 12 rearwardly, the arm 86 is released and a spring 88 rotates 'the'.shaft 87 so as to throw the blades81'forwardly to 110 receive the collars-82 and stop the tamping.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an automatic machine for forming these hollow blocks. The motor may be stopped, or start-ed, in an suitable manner, such as by means of an e ectric switch 90, so that operations may be stopped at any time when desii-ed. A magnetic brake 89 set in operation by opening the switch 90, brings the mechanism quickly to rest. For instance if it is 12 desired to process the front or sides of the blocks, the mechanism may be stopped'when the blades and front board have been removed and the blocks finished as desired. lIt desired lfor such purpose the front board Imay bem-anually and independently remov- {..lassasob bloclisl provide a trowelstrap-91 fixed to the hopper so that it is carried over the upper surface of the blocks as the .hopper is removed. This strap is mounted on the hopper, so that it may be adjusted vertically.

Although the cores may beoitfany shape or length desired, I have provided herein cores 2T which extend upwardly to within -tanips th'e concrete between the cores and the. mold walls. I also provide projections 9G which extend downwardly and tanip lruhe concrete overv the ends ot the shorter cores 2T. lly these means the outer edge of the blocks vand the thin portions over the ends oi' the short'cores 27'are very-thoroughly tamped and hence are strengthened. y

Fig. 6 illustrates a compoundvmachine in which four units are operated by' a single driving system. One object of this machine.

to provide yunit machine to which other units may be Y'added if desired, without any material niodilicatnns of the elements of any of the units and without adding additional driving means. lnthis easel show four units 100, 101 102 and 103, each. of which. so tar as the tampers, hoppers and molds are concerned, is substantially the saule as the single machine already described; and any ,fone ot' these units, including the central cam operatingmechanism and driving means. issubstantiallythe same as the single machine. A block molding manufacturer for instancemay install the unit 100, together with the;- cam mechanism 104 and the driving means 105, and carry on block manufacturing work eiciently'and in4 all respects as if a single machine only were used. He may, however. whenever desirable, attach vanother unit 102, using the same cam and driving elements without' change. Even themotor 105 need not be replaced by a higher power motor, for the reason that-the moving-elements of theit'wo unit are not synchronous.,and while power 'is being used for some of the elements of one unit it is not used `for 'those of the other.l For instance the two sets of tampers would not be operated simultaneously, nor would the hea-vier work of' any of the moving parts ot' thetwo'units be simultaneous. y

ln combining lthe second unit A102 it is necessary only to install the'secon'd unit on thesideoithe cam shaft 98 opposite the4 first unit, insert the 'cam rollers of the hopper and the mold sides in the proper cani-ways, and provide suitable mechanism for operating the tampers. Similarly units 101 and 103 maybe installed if desired. .11s each ot hase units are substantially thesanie as the machine already described it is not deemed necessary to enter into the details. rhe additionalelements for driving the tamper-s may be all old and well known such as'lare plainly indicated in the drawing. ln in tiling the new additional units, itis necessary only to insert a bevel gear 106, on the `lrhiug shaft 107, of the original unitand associate 'with this gear the gears 108 and 109, when desired. The gear 108 operates thesha't't- 110 which operates. by means of a belt. 111, the tamper `n'rechanism ot the unit 101,. Gear 10Q- V operates the tampers of the unit 103, and bevel gears 112 operate the. shaft 13 of the unit 102.

Inasmuch as the vbeams 36 and 62 of the oifgginal machine, would be in the way of similarbeamsotadditional units, a spider 114, having slots 115 therein, and being rigidly Afixed to the frame, may be inserted when the additional units are added, the roller 116 of the nnits playing in these slots. -n this manner forked ends 'for the beams 117 are not needed. But, if desired, forked'- beams similar to 36 and 62 may be used, as the forks can be offset, when additional units are added, so as not to confiict with each other.

Itnill be seen that by use of this machine I pldvide means for manfactur'in'g blocks with four units, which may be very' coni-- pac-,tly arranged 'with'reference to each other, and may be operated at aniinimmn ot' e5;-

vense for ower and which involve much less ycomplication and expense than' if tour entire machines were used. It will be readily seen that the. tour hoppers 120, 121.. 122 and 123 'may all be fed by the single central concrete bin 14 provided for the i single machine. Hence, not only is the mechanical expense materially' reduced and the 'worlsexpeditem but'- one workman preparing' the plastic material for the molds can prepare for' all of the machine vsimultaneously, and a. single operator might operate the tour ma-chine'u'nits by `successfullv 'substituting the independent pallets for the full pallets at' the properl time; lSwitcheslQl may be provided for each. unit so that the l operator may stop the machine when worry: lng with any one of the units.

Although I have described with much dev-.-

tail various elements of the single machine and the compound machine, yet it will. be

understood that various modifications flere .in could be made by those'skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit ai' my in- Ventron as disclosed by the iol Furthermoretwill be understand form oit brick or block making material could be used with thc machines and either of these .machines could be used for making blocks or bricks either'with processed sur-A faces or not. Furthermore the combined machine' could be used for making simultaneously bricks and blocks, as one or more of the units could be used for one purpose and others for other purposes if desired.

I claim as my invention:

1. Al block making machine comprising al tion by said side operatingmeans for operating said front plate.

'3, In a block molding machine, a mold comprising sides mounted for horizontal movement, and cores mounted for movement, means for moving said sides horizontally, and means set in operation by said side `mechanism 'for moving said cores.

ai. In a block molding machine a mold, comprising sides, a-front plate, and cores, means for moving said`sides horizontally, v'and means for moving said plate and cores vertically.

5. In acomprising sides, a core plate, a core {ixed to said plate, and a front mold plate lixed to said core plate, means for reciprocating said core yplate vertically, and means for l reciprocating/said Sides horizontally.

6. In a-bjlockmalting machine a core plate, a core fixed to ,said plate, a front mold plate fixed to saidrcore plate, mold sides, means 'for "reciprocating vertically saidcore plate,

means for reciprocating horizontally said sides, and a pallet 'adapted to be placed over said cori plate to form the bottom of the' block mold. f

7. In a block making machine a core plate, i

a core fixed tosaid plate, a front mold plate fixed to said coreplate, mold sides, means' for reciprocating vertically said I nold plates, means for reciprocatinghorizontally said moldjsides, a pallet adapted to be placed on said core plate-to form the bottom ofthe block mold, Said pallet having an opening therein ject. I

8. In a block forming machine a mold, cores projecting `upwardly from the bottom of said mold, sides for said mold, the upper end ofone of said cores being substantially flush with the top of, said sides, the upper end.' ofanotheriof said -inolds being matethrough which said core may problock 4making machine a mold,

` trame, ope ating means connectlng said elerially lower than the upper edges ofthe sides, means for passing block forming material 'into said mold, and means for ta1nping said material; said tamping means comprising a tamper arranged to reciprocate vertically, the lower surface of said tamper having a projection thereon over the lower olf said cores. l

9. In a blocl" forming machine a mold, cores projecting upwardly from the bottom of said mold, sides i'or said mold, the upper end of one ot said cores being substantially ilus-h with the iop el said sides, the upper end ot' another oi' said moldsbeing materially lower than the upper edges ot' the sides, means Yfor passing block forming ma terial into said mold, and means ior tamping said material; said tami'iing means comprising a tamper arranged to reciprocate vertically, the lower surface of said tamper having a projection thereon over the lower of said-cores, and having a flange projectin downwardlyl around the outer edge of sai surface.v y

10. In a block forming machine a vertical shaft, means 'for rotating said shaft, a cam iixed to said shaft, a slidably mounted hopper, and operating means connecting said hopper with said cam.

1l. A. blocl; forming machine comprising a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted in said l'rame, arcani jixed to said shaft, a hopper slidably mounted" on said trame, operating means connecting said cam with said hop'- per, a second cam-fixed to said shaft,mold :toi-ming elements shdably mounted in said vmounted elements adapted to orm the front and sides ot' a mold, a movable support for the bottom of said mold, common means for simultaneously moving said front and snpport relative to said sides,-1neans for moving said sides horizontally, and a movable bottom for said mold normallyv resting on said support.

14. In a bloclrmaling machine slidably mounted elements adapted to form the front and sides ofl a mold, a movable support for the bottom of said mold, means for moving said sides horizontally, and for simultaneously moving said front and support vertically, a movable bottom for said mold normally resting on said support, and means for supporting said bottom when said'movable support is removed.

15. In a block makingmachine, a'vmold, a

messes slidably mounted hopper for feeding block forming material ,into said mold, means for movingr said hopper into its operative position, a tamper for said mold. means for operatingl said tamper, and means actuated bpl said hopper means for setting in operation said tamper operating means.

16. ll'n a block making machine a mold, a

slidablv mounted hopper `for 'feeding block :forming material into said mold, means for moving?T said hopper into its operative position. a tamper for said mo'ld, means for operating said taniper. and means actuated b v said hopper means for setting in operation said tamper operating` means and 'l'or preventing operation of said, tamper operating` means.

l?. ln a block forming` machine a tamper, a slidable hopper, movable mold elements, power means. means operatively connecting said power means with said tamper, means operatively connecting'r said power means with said hopper,` and means operativelyv connecting` said power means with said mold elen'ients, and means actuated by said hopper operating means vtor disconnecting said tamper operating` means when s hopper is movin;r from its operating position.

18. A block making' machine comprisingr a tamper, a movable hopper. and a mold having a verticallyT movable element and a horizontally movable element, common means for operating said tamper, said hopper. and said movable element.

19. In a block molding machine a frame, mold sides mounted for horizontal movein said frame, av mold 'front monnted for vertical movement in said frame, a mold' 'ad opted bottom support monnted 'For vertical move.

ment in said frame,A and common means for simultaneously moving all o1 said mold elements. l

Q0. In a hollow block. forming machine, a mold comprising' sides mounted for horizontal movement, a core mounted for vertical movement, means tor moving said sides horizontally, means operated by said sides for movingy said core upwardly. said core being' to more downwardly when released b v said sides. and n'ioans actuated b v said sides for forcingv said mold downwardly.

2l. A. block terminay machine comprising; a pluralityv otl independent molds, a movable hopper' .tor each ot .said molds? and a single cam Ylor op r: tinfr said hoppers.

A block formino' machine comprising a plnralitjv of independent molds. a movable hopper for each ot said molds, a single cam :tor operating said hoppers, said Cam being adapted to more one ot' said hoppers in one direction as :mother hopper is being moved in another direction.

2S. In a block molding machine a plurality ot molds. a movable hopper :tor each ot said molds, and means tor reciprocating said hoppers. said reciprocations being nonsvnchronoas.

A block molding1 machine comprising" a pluralityY ot independent molds, each of said molds havin;- movable elements, common means i" or reciprocating said elements, said reciproeations being discontinuous and non-synchronous.

In testimony whereof, 'I hereunto set my hand.

ARNOLD HESKETT. 

